Nine Lives by Anita Waller (korean novels in english .TXT) 📕

‘No, Dom and Danny were behind us, as were Maria and Anya, the twins, and during the interval we chatted with them. Dom went for some cans of Coke for us, but other than that we didn’t move, didn’t chat to anybody else.’

‘That would be Dom Andrews? Do you know the other lad’s surname?’

‘We all call him Brummy Danny, but that’s because his Birmingham accent is so strong. His actual name is Daniel Irving.’

Beth glanced down the list they had been given, and put a star by his name. She had noticed a twinkle in Jenna’s eyes when she had spoken of Brummy Danny, and guessed their flame-haired interviewee was interested in the lad who had sat with them in the theatre.

‘Jenna, can I ask how you came to be in a wheelchair?’ Erica spoke carefully.

Erica had decided to get the elephant out of the way so they could ask more probing questions. Jenna Armstrong was an extremely pretty girl with what appeared to be a slim, attractive figure and as such needed to heed the warning that she never accept a lift from anyone… conversely, if she was able to walk, a wheelchair would enable the transport of bodies to be undertaken very easily, with hardly a passing glance from members of the public.

‘Of course. I was knocked off my bike when I was twelve. It caused spinal damage, and I’m fine from the waist up, but from the waist down I feel nothing. I don’t let it stop me doing anything, and this university has been so accommodating of my needs, it’s unbelievable. I have a specially adapted car, although I rarely use it during term time, I get about on this little workhorse.’ She tapped the arm of the wheelchair.

‘Thank you for that. So, you came out of the theatre. Did you stay in the foyer, or go straight outside?’

‘I stayed in the foyer for a couple of minutes while we were deciding what to do, then Clare said she needed a wee. It was rather crowded because most people were waiting inside for their lifts to arrive. It was raining pretty heavily. Susie and I decided to wait outside, thinking Clare would only be a minute, but when we got outside Danny and Dom were waiting for us. I drove up to them, on this, not the car of course, and Susie said she would wait for Clare to come out, and see us down at the pub. I’ve no idea what happened after that. I eventually saw Clare in the pub, but not Susie. I went down to the pub with Dom and Danny. Clare was in the corner with Becky Charlesworth and Katie Davids. I must admit I didn’t think anything of it, simply assumed Susie had decided to go home.’

‘Let’s go back to when you came out of the theatre,’ Erica said. ‘Close your eyes and picture the scene.’

Jenna complied, and the two officers waited.

‘Okay. It was raining heavily, as it had been for what seems weeks, and there were quite a few people hanging around, or getting in cars that pulled up to take them home. Lots of umbrellas. Lots of faces hidden by umbrellas. Dom and Danny were standing higher up that little road at the side of the theatre, and I saw Dom wave. Susie told me to go to them and head off to the pub, to get out of the rain as quickly as possible. I left her…’

There was a catch in Jenna’s voice as she narrated the events of the evening when her friend had disappeared.

‘And I haven’t seen her since,’ Jenna finished quietly. She picked up her drink and sipped at it, looking at the two officers. ‘In fact, to carry things on a day, I haven’t seen either of them since, because Clare has been killed as well. What’s going on? Is it someone with a grudge against Clare and Susie, or are Becky and Katie likely to disappear also?’

‘Becky and Katie have been moved to a safe place,’ Beth said. ‘You don’t need to worry about them. We won’t bring them back here until we’ve caught the person doing this to your friends.’

‘Are we all in danger? Is he targeting girls from here?’

‘Jenna, there is a third victim. We found her this morning. She has no connection to the university as far as we’re aware. But we will be putting out an announcement tonight on Look North, recommending that nobody gets into any car other than a car they’re expecting to get into.’ Erica hesitated. She felt somehow she was breaking rules. ‘I believe, and this is only me, that somebody the girls knew well enough to trust, offered them a lift home or something, to get out of this blessed rain.’

Jenna stared. ‘Should I be worried? I’m rather vulnerable.’

‘Yes. Every pretty woman in this city should be worried. But I do believe a vehicle of some sort is part of the MO, so only ever get into your own car, and don’t give anybody else a lift, no matter how well you know them. Because you don’t know them.’

14

Dom Andrews was waiting to enter the office as Beth opened the door to allow Jenna to leave.

He smiled as he saw her, and bent to kiss her cheek. ‘If you wait till they’ve finished with me, I’ll walk you home.’

Jenna hesitated, then nodded. ‘I’ll sit out here and read.’

Dom sat down, and then Erica asked him to stand. ‘I’m sorry about this, Dominic, but can you empty your pockets, please.’

He looked puzzled, but complied. He took out his wallet, and Erica glanced through it. There was only a ten-pound note in the paper money compartment, and in the card pockets there was a debit card, a credit card, a gym membership card for the Starlite Gym, and a driving licence. She half pulled out the ten-pound note, and he shrugged.

‘Hey, I’m a starving student.’

Erica smiled at him, and checked through all the